Speech of the Chief Guest, Secretary, ERD, Ministry of

							                    Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
                                   Ministry of Finance
                             Economic Relations Division
                                      PRS-HAP Cell

Speech of the Chief Guest, Secretary, ERD, Ministry of Finance
Hon'ble Guest H. E. Mr. Masayuki Inoue, Ambassador, Embassy of Japan
Hon'ble Guest Mr. Manoj Basnyat, Country Director, UNDP office
Representatives of Development Partners
Excellencies
Distinguished Participants
Ladies and Gentlemen

Assalamu Alaikum
It gives me immense pleasure in welcoming you all this morning to this gathering in ERD,
Dhaka. Earlier we used to meet in various forums to share our common agenda for socio -
economic development in Bangladesh. We exchanged views and ideas on how best we
could work in partnership to promote and accelerate our development process.


Ladies and Gentlemen
The Government and Development Partners agreed to strengthen harmonization and
effectiveness of aid, to align aid to the PRSP, and to continue forward with the aid
coordination process under government leadership. The main objective of HAP i s to reduce
poverty, improve partnership collaboration and sustain development gains towards achieving
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In line with Paris Declaration, Harmonization Action
Plan was approved on 28 -08-2006. HAP is intended to be the work ing document outlining
directions for future action by both GOB and DPs. A senior official has been appointed in
ERD as a focal point with a clear mandate to promote the implementation and monitoring of
Harmonization Action Plan and Poverty Reduction Strat egy. A PRS-HAP cell has been
constituted to facilitate the Implementation of Poverty Reduction Strategy and Harmonization
Action Plan. The Cell has been closely liaising with GOB departments and the LCG focal
points. Moreover, GOB-DP joint Harmonization Taskforce has established and functioning to
monitor the Harmonization Action Plan and Paris Declaration implementation. PRS -HAP Cell
has been instrumental in coordinating not only the HAP but also in coordinating the Paris
Declaration Evaluation, OECD-DAC survey 2008, and preparing themselves for participating
in the High Level Forum in Accra where Bangladesh was the only country to participate from
all South Asia. ERD will strengthen the Cell so that its effort is sustained. PRS -HAP Cell
further needs to be strengthen for the benefit of both GOB and our Development Partners.



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Ladies and Gentlemen
Bangladesh, with a number of other countries and international organizations, participated at
the High Level Forum (HLF) and placed its signature to the joint comm itments contained in
the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness in 2005. Since then, the Government of
Bangladesh has been taking commendable efforts in pursuit of better aid coordination and
harmonization and has enhanced coordination/consultation to impl ement Paris Declaration.
First of all, Bangladesh formulated the Bangladesh Harmonization Action Plan (HAP) to
localize the spirit of the Paris Declaration and promote its implementation. This was then
followed by a dissemination workshop to enhance unders tanding among the involved staff in
line ministries. Bangladesh in close consultation with Development Partners, also took part
in the OECD-DAC baseline survey in the 2006 Survey on monitoring of the Paris
Declaration. In 2007, the Government of Bangladesh volunteered, at the Evaluation
Reference Group meeting held in Paris, to conduct a country level evaluation of the
implementation of the Paris Declaration.


Ladies and Gentleman,
The Paris Declaration highlights the importance of an independent cross -country evaluation
to compliment the monitoring of its implementation. To fulfil this commitment, the
Government of Bangladesh, in collaboration with Development Partners, have taken the
initiative to conduct a country level evaluation of the implementation of the commitments of
the Paris Declaration. The main purpose of the evaluation is to strengthen aid effectiveness
by assessing what constitutes better practices for partner and donor behaviour in regard to
implementation of the Paris Declaration. Natural Re sources Planners Limited, a local
consulting firm has been assigned to conduct the country level evaluation. The study is in
progress. This report mainly presents the summary preliminary findings of the evaluation on
the basis of data collected during the period between 23 December 2007 and 17 January
2008. Three sample sectors namely (a) Primary Education (b) Energy and Power and (c)
Environment as crosscutting issue have been selected for a detailed study.


Ladies and Gentleman,
We know that the 3 rd High Level Forum (HLF-3) on Aid Effectiveness will be held in 2 -4
September 2008 in Accra. In order to contribute to the HLF-3, Government of Bangladesh
has committed to conduct OECD-DAC Survey 2008 from 2 January – 31 March 2008 as far
Paris requirement. The DAC Evaluation Network has agreed with the working Party on Aid
Effectiveness and the Joint Venture on Monitoring the Paris Declaration to move forward
with the evaluation process together with partner countries with a view to prepare an initial
report by the 2008 HLF in Ghana and a more comprehensive evaluation by 2010.

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Ladies and Gentleman,
Partners in the Paris Declaration have demonstrated their support for a strong focus on
monitoring as well as the importance of an independent cross -country evaluation process.
The purpose of an independent evaluation is to provide a more comprehensive
understanding of how increased aid effectiveness contributes of meeting development
objectives. While monitoring will, and continues to identify what progress has happe ned, an
independent evaluation will answer questions about how it happened and why or why not
and will provide an opportunity for in -depth analysis of both partner and donor behavior;
analysis of underlying assumptions, and provide a long -term perspective in examining the
effects of increased aid effectiveness.


Ladies and Gentlemen
However, it appears that if PD evaluation is to be effectively implemented, then we need to
bring it closer to those who are contributing to implement, monitor and record progr ess of it
so that this will enhance the common understanding of development effectiveness, Paris
declaration or Harmonization efforts among all. In view of the above, this Workshop on aid
effectiveness and harmonization is proposed to this works the respond to the strong needs
from the relevant ministries/divisions to deepen t he understanding of the issues and a first
attempt to sensitize our colleagues. So, I invite you all to take advantage of this occasion to
learn about the advance of Paris Declaration and Monitoring to your work.


Ladies and Gentlemen
I am happy that ERD in collaboration with the development partners have organized this
Paris Declaration Evaluation Workshop which I am sure will be able to suggest guidelines
and would help in establishing a more effective plan of actions streamlining Accra High Level
Forum with in the stipulated timeframe. I thank you all again for kindly attending the
workshop. Your presence and active participation will provide inspiration, guidelines and
encouragement to the organizers. With this few words I like to invite you all to participate in
the PD Workshop and declared the workshop open.




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